Ottawa Italian Festival Welcomes Over 110,000 Attendees
A celebration of culture, community, and local partnerships, this year’s festival attracted one of the largest crowds in recent years.
From June 6 to 8, the streets of Little Italy were packed with energy, music, and visitors as the Ottawa Italian Festival drew more than 110,000 attendees over the course of three days. It was one of the busiest festivals in recent memory, demonstrating the strong pull of this annual celebration and the value of community collaboration in bringing it to life.
This year’s festival was made possible by a wide range of local sponsors and organizations. Major sponsors included Meridian Credit Union, Altis Recruitment, Taggart Realty, Preston Hardware, Canada Day Arts Festival Inc., Avenue North Realty, and Preston Dental Centre. The festival also received funding from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming through the Experience Ontario Program, which helped expand programming and enhance the attendee experience.
Preston Hardware sponsored family-friendly inflatable activities, which were new additions to the event that drew large crowds. Avenue North Realty, Canada Day Arts Festival Inc. and Preston Dental Centre (located in Preston Square) supported hands-on family activities to the street, including face painting and balloon art.
New this year, the Taggart Tent Stage featured performances from a variety of community groups throughout the weekend. Highlights included traditional folk dancing by the Fonte D'Amore Tarantella Group, performances by local musicians in partnership with the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition and City Sounds Live, and a unique demonstration by the Academy of Medieval European Arts Ottawa.
Meridian Credit Union had a strong presence on the street throughout the weekend. As Ontario’s largest credit union, Meridian serves over 378,000 members and is known for investing in community programs, financial literacy, and small business support. Altis Recruitment brought bocce ball to the street, tying into their annual Altis Bocce Battle fundraiser, which promotes friendly competition while raising funds for youth mental health, taking place in September.
Many Little Italy restaurants extended their patios into the street during the three day event including Sala San Marco, The Prescott, Trattoria Caffè Italia, La Favorita and Casa Mexico, adding to the festival’s lively atmosphere. Meanwhile, Ottawa charities, CHEO and Make-A-Wish Foundation, were both on-site with the CHEO mascot and outreach teams connecting with families throughout the weekend.
Signature events like the beloved Italian Car Parade, FCA Ottawa Ferrari Festival, and Italian Week Ottawa’s Cultural Zone and Main Stage helped anchor the weekend’s programming and brought iconic activities that attendees have come to know and love.
While the festival weekend wrapped up on June 8, the celebration continued the following weekend with the Preston Street Bicycle Races on June 15, presented by Bike Race Ottawa. Italian Week is always a strong start to summer in Little Italy—made possible by a community that continues to show up, support local, and celebrate together.